Every Kid in A Park starts at Weir Farm

Weir Farm National Historic Site at 735 Nod Hill Road in Wilton invites all fourth grade students to visit the park as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting September 1, fourth grade students can go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a voucher for a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

“This is a special year for fourth graders. With pass in hand and family and classmates in tow, you will be ready to set out and explore a favorite or new park.” said Weir Farm National Historic Site Superintendent Linda Cook.

Weir Farm National Historic Site is the only location in Connecticut where fourth graders can exchange their vouchers for an Every Kid in a Park pass. The park offers activities perfect for young learners. Try all three of the park’s Junior Ranger activities to earn a unique Junior Ranger badge, patch, and pin. Organize a group visit to the park with your Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop to earn official Scout Ranger certificates and patches. Fourth graders and their families will also have fun hiking, seeing unique gardens and art studios, and taking part in art with the park’s free-to-borrow art supplies. Be sure to give the park a call if you’re planning on bringing more than three cars so the Park Rangers can help you plan your experience and get everything ready for your day of fun. Teachers can download curriculum materials and lesson plans before they schedule their next field trip in the 2015-2016 school year.

Fourth graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park voucher. 4th graders and their families can then use this voucher to obtain a pass, good for free entry into national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from September 1, 2015 through August 31, 2016.The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect fourth graders with the great outdoors and inspire them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come.The program is an important part of the National Park Service’s centennial celebration in 2016, which encourages everyone to Find Your Park.

Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

About Weir Farm National Historic Site: Designed and preserved by artists, Weir Farm National Historic Site welcomes everyone to experience the power of creativity, art, and nature. Escape to the only national park dedicated to American painting and rediscover the beauty of light and color in everyday life. Learn more at www.nps.gov/wefa and visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/WeirFarmNHS, YouTube www.youtube.com/WeirFarmNHS, and Instagram @WeirFarmNHS.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 408 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.